


Something to Rely On

by demishock



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, IgNoct, Ignoct Week, because it's for ignoct week, but they're just kids in this one, ignoctweek, pre-game, tagged with the pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 17:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13663674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demishock/pseuds/demishock
Summary: Noctis learned from a very young age just who it was who was always there for him.





	Something to Rely On

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ignoctweek over on tumblr, for the Day 7 prompt: "Always."
> 
> I've had this in the back of my mind ever since the Platinum demo. I have no doubt that Noctis and Regis love each other very much, but they are a pretty dysfunctional little family.
> 
> Title is a line from Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know."

Noctis remembered the first “always.”

He was just a kid back then, and his dad had bought him the soccer ball he’d been begging for. Buzzing with excitement, he waited with it outside the throne room all day, diligent and abnormally patient, sure that if he was good and didn’t get into any trouble, his dad would come play ball with him like he'd seen his classmates' dads doing.  
   
He waited, and waited, until it was dark outside and the hallways had emptied of attendants, and then he waited some more. Surely, any minute now…  
   
But it was not his father who eventually appeared.

Rather, it was Ignis who came looking for him, concerned that he had missed dinner. Noctis knew at once that he must look completely pathetic, because Ignis had brought him a chocolate chip brownie and a big glass of milk instead of proper food, and Ignis NEVER let him get away with dessert before dinner.

"Just this once," Ignis said softly, handing it over.

Noctis accepted the treat wordlessly, his eyes still glued to the throne room door as he halfheartedly picked at it. Ignis hovered at his side. Noctis knew that Ignis probably wanted to go to bed, but he stayed anyway.

At long last, the door opened, and the council members filed out of the room, most not sparing so much as a glance at the children seated outside. Last to leave were the king and his shield, and Noctis leapt to his feet the second he saw his father, leaving Ignis scrambling to save the glass of milk from toppling over.

"Dad!" he called breathlessly.

King Regis turned to him in surprise, and Clarus excused himself with a bow and went to wait by the elevators.

"Noctis? What are you doing all the way up here at this hour?"

Noctis picked up the soccer ball at his feet and thrust it upward for his father to see.

"You promised!"

A cloud seemed to pass over the king's face.

"It's very late, son. Perhaps some other time."

"But you said we could play today!" Noctis protested. He knew he wasn't supposed to be so loud, or to stomp his feet, but he'd already broken the dessert rule tonight, so he didn't feel so bad.

"You will come to understand, when you are King, that sometimes there are things that must take priority over play," King Regis said. His eyes were sad. "For young princes and their friends, one of those things is sleep. Let's get you two to bed, shall we?"

Noctis wanted to shout - wanted to protest, and insist that his father keep his promise. There was no point in having the ball if he didn't have a father to play with.

But Noctis knew better than to argue. He never won, because his father was the king, and the king's word was law.

Except, apparently, when it came to designating playtime.

And so he and Ignis were herded into the elevator with the king and Clarus. Noctis and his father got out first, heading for the residential quarters, while Clarus stayed with Ignis to return the remains of Noctis's dessert to the kitchens. Ignis gave Noctis a meaningful look as the door closed between them, and Noctis knew he'd be seeing him again soon.

In the interim, his dad brought him to his room and placed the soccer ball with the rest of Noctis's toys before tucking Noctis into bed.

"Don't pout," Regis said, ruffling his hair.

"You _promised_ ," Noctis said again, feebly.

"We'll schedule some time, just you and me. Things are a bit hectic right now, but once they calm down…"

It hung between them, unfinished.

"…Okay," Noctis finally relented, and Regis leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Sleep well, my son."

Noctis watched him go.

Moments later, Ignis crept into the room and made his way to Noctis's bedside. He handed Noctis a plastic bag, and Noctis realized it had what was left of his brownie in it.

"I couldn't sneak the milk past Master Clarus," Ignis explained apologetically, as if the brownie wasn't a nice enough gesture on its own.

Noctis leaned over to set it on the nightstand for later.

Then, unable to hold it in any longer, he sniffled.

"Oh, Noct," Ignis murmured, clambering up into the bed to gather Noctis into a hug.

Noctis sniffled harder, and clung to Ignis with all his might, even though he knew how much Ignis hated wrinkly clothes. Ignis had started it, so Noctis figured that meant it was okay.

Noctis understood that being the king was Really Important. He knew that there was only one king at a time and that meant that his dad had no one to substitute for him like the teachers at school sometimes did for each other. He was aware that the king had to think of _everyone_ and do what was best for everyone and not just what was best for himself.

But it still hurt.

Wasn't he part of 'everyone'?

Eventually, his crying, and all that day's waiting caught up to him, and he started to feel sleepy. He untangled himself from Ignis and rubbed at his eyes, and Ignis slid down to the floor, tucking Noctis back in.

Noctis didn't want him to go.

"Stay, Iggy… please?" he asked, his voice wobbly.

"Of course, Noct."

Ignis folded his glasses neatly and set them on the nightstand with Noctis's brownie, and climbed under the covers. Noctis curled up beside him.

"When I'm king, I want to keep all my promises," Noctis whispered vehemently into Ignis's shoulder.

"I'm sure you will," Ignis said softly. He sounded like he meant it.

"You'll be there to remind me, right?"

"I will."

"Always?" Noctis insisted.

Ignis wrapped his arms around him and held him tight.

" _Always_."


End file.
